A proposal to restore the natural flow of water between the Ocklawaha and St. Johns Rivers cleared its second of three required Senate committee stops Wednesday. Companion legislation has already been approved by three committees in the Florida House.
If enacted, the legislation would launch a long-debated project in Florida: the restoration of the Ocklawaha River’s natural hydrologic conditions before 1968, when a dam was installed there as part of the failed Cross-Florida Barge Canal.
Removing the dam — and, therefore, the reservoir created from it — would likely be key to the restoration project. Anglers know the man-made Rodman Reservoir as a premier bass fishery, with some of the largest catches often reported right near the dam.
RELATED: Lawmakers advance proposal to restore natural Ocklawaha-St. Johns water flow
The Senate bill’s lead sponsor is Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Republican representing Seminole County and part of Orange County. Brodeur chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, which voted 10 to 1 Wednesday to advance the bill to its final Senate stop.
If enacted, Brodeur said, the proposed Northeast Florida Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act would allow for the “gradual restoration” of a river system affecting twelve Florida counties, including Marion.
Landowners in Putnam and Marion counties stand to be most directly affected by the potential removal of the dam and resulting reservoir. In the area along the reservoir, there are 179 parcels of land totalling 1,141 acres in Marion County, and 17 parcels totalling 1,261 acres in Putnam County, according to The Great Florida Riverway Trust.
Brodeur emphasized local community input would be a critical part of the restoration process.
“This is a plan that enrolls all the locals,” Brodeur said. “We're trying to put as many people on there that have sensitivity to this area as we can, to get the plan right.”
The Senate bill calls for the creation of a new, 16-member advisory council that would focus on economic development and recreation. Six members would be chosen by boards of county commissioners, including two members each from Marion and Putnam counties. The other nine members would be appointed by the governor, including two representatives of river recreation-related businesses local to either Marion or Putnam.
“The main point is that we want to make sure that we are preserving Florida's natural state and, at the same time, not destroying the local community flavor,” Brodeur said. “We just have to figure out a way, over time, that we restore that natural flow.”
But some community members spoke Wednesday against the proposed legislation. Steve Miller is president of Save Rodman Reservoir. The local advocacy group urges for the reservoir to be preserved as “a critical part of Florida’s natural heritage, wildlife habitat, water quality system, and outdoor recreation economy.”
“Rodman is known as a world-class fishery for a reason. There are a significant amount of fish there,” Miller said.
Miller also expressed skepticism about the bill’s focus on enhancing ecotourism as a way to boost the local economy. The ever-increasing urbanization of Florida has already damaged the state’s natural environment enough, he said.
Putnam County District 4 Commissioner Larry Harvey echoed those concerns, along with what he described as a threat to home rule power. “Rural Florida always, always gives up for urban Florida,” Harvey said. “We take it on the chin.”
Mark Emery spoke in favor of the bill Wednesday. Emery said he works as a filmmaker for outlets like National Geographic and has also been a fishing guide for 41 years.
“In all my travels, there is no system I have seen like the Ocklawaha and Silver River. This system is a national treasure,” Emery said.
Emery said he just finished working on two films at Silver Springs. While shooting in the area, he noticed far fewer native fish now, compared to before the dam was built. Fewer fish have also meant fewer visitors to the area, Emery said.
“In the days before the dam, there were well over a million folks a year that came there to see the fish,” Emery said. “After the dam went up, all that changed … The variety and numbers of the fish are mostly gone now.”
Safety concerns about the dam are also a factor. It is considered a high-hazard dam, according to a 2022 report published by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“What that means is that if it were to fail, there would be a significant economic loss, and also loss of life as well,” said Jessica Finch of St. Johns Riverkeeper, who previously served as mayor and a councilmember for the town of Welaka.
Along with 20 freshwater springs currently hidden beneath the Rodman Reservoir, the pool created by the dam is also covering 7,500 acres of natural floodplain.
“Welaka is constantly flooding because of (drawdowns), in advance of storms. So not only do you get the stormwater, you get excess water being let out from the dam,” Finch said.
On Wednesday, Brodeur also expressed concern about how the dam affects the area’s flooding risk.
“One of two things are going to happen. We are either going to have a bill like this, that directs a lot of money and a gradual change over time with a lot of economic development grants involved,” Brodeur said. “Or the thing's gonna breach in the middle of the night, and we won't have as much control over that.”
Brodeur added he’s open to different ideas to solve the problem, which is why he wants locals to be involved. “As long as it's fixed, I'm agnostic as to what the fix is.”
“We want to get it right,” Brodeur said. “That's why we're enrolling everybody and putting a lot of money behind it, because something has to be done. What that is, you guys get to pick.”
Ultimately, the committee voted 10-1 to advance the bill.
Committee members also moved to advance several other proposals at Wednesday’s meeting, including a bill that would require the state to provide more public notice and information about proposals to sell or swap conservation land. Republican Senator Debbie Mayfield of Brevard County is a lead sponsor for that legislation.
Another bill advanced Wednesday would require the state to adopt rules for nature-based coastal resilience solutions, like living shorelines.
